Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
When Bruno came home, he finds Maria packing his things. Not knowing why the maid is going through his personal belongings, his mother said that they are leaving Berlin because his father has been promoted and they must move. Bruno is not happy about leaving because all of his friends and grandparents are in Berlin. Unfortunately, Bruno cannot change his father's mind and, when they arrive at the new house, it is far from what he is used to. In fact, this place is nicknamed "Out-With" because the last person who occupied this house was "out with" everything else. While unpacking this things, Bruno notices (outside his windows) a large open area with small buildings, huts, and people. When Bruno shows Gretel, his incorrigible sister, they noticed that there are children in there as well. However, Gretel refuses to play with them because they are dirty and they are wearing nothing but striped pajamas. Since Bruno is unable to find a playmate, he finds ways to entertain himself, which tend to get him in to trouble. Despite a few scrapes and scratches, Bruno decides to explore the grounds and the fence, which is strictly forbidden. When he arrives, he sees a boy named Shmuel who just happens the be the same age as Bruno. Although they don't understand why there is a fence between them, both of them have decided to be friends. As time goes by, Bruno and Shmuel get to know one another and Bruno has accepted the fact that he won't be going back to Berlin, which is okay because he has Shmuel. However, when Bruno's mother decides it's time to go back, Bruno must say goodbye, but not without one more adventure, which leads to tragedy.   

Critical Evaluation:
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a moving story of two young boys who are untouched by the evils of the world. Although Bruno is much more sheltered than Schmuel, Schmuel looks beyond the fact that his father is the camp Commandant and accepts Bruno for who he is. I think what Schmuel has a hard time understanding is Bruno's kindness because he hasn't seen that in a long time and the fact that a German would want to befriend a Jew. The most prevalent theme in this story is that ignorance doesn't always mean bliss. Bruno demands that people explain to him why he is on side of the fence and Schmuel is on the other side, but no one will. Bruno is literally untouched by the hate that walks in and out of his house daily that he couldn't fathom what was really going on in the camp. Is it possible that if someone actually told him why the Jews are behind fences, would it have changed the outcome? Maybe not because Bruno can't stand the soldiers, nor can he stand "The Fury."  Boyne does an amazing job conveying to readers how precious innocence is because Bruno can't even pronounce "Auschwitz" and "The Fuhrer" properly no matter how many times he is corrected. As for Schmuel, who is the opposite of Bruno, has seen the hate and it is slowly starting to show, especially when he tells Bruno he could never like his father because he is a soldier. Although the ending is totally unexpected, the culprits for this tragedy lies solely on the shoulders of the adults who refuse to love one another despite their differences. Although this story is unbelievably heart-wrenching, it's also a tale of friendship that will last for all time.

Information about the Author:
According to his website:

I was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1971, and studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and creative writing at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, where I was awarded the Curtis Brown prize.

My early writing consisted mostly of short stories and the first one I published, The Entertainments Jar, was shortlisted for the Hennessy Literary Award in Ireland. Many of my stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies.

I’ve published 8 novels for adults and four for younger readers, including The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas which was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was made into a Miramax feature film. It has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.

My novels are published in 47 languages.

Genre:
Tween Historical Fiction, Tween War Stories

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 7 & up

Books Similar to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas:

• The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
  

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com

"Certain to be one of the publishing sensations of 2006." -The Observer (U.K.)

"A memorable and moving story." -The Oxford Times (U.K.)

"A small wonder of a book." -The Guardian (U.K.)

"A book so simple, so seemingly effortless, that it's almost perfect." -The Irish Independent"An extraordinary book." -The Irish Examiner

Plot Summary:
It's 1933, and Adolf Hitler has been appointed chancellor of the Third Reich. For Helmuth Guddat, he isn't sure how he feels about this man because he has made many promises to help Germany recover from the devastation of World War 1. Mutti (his mother) feels optimistic about it, but his Oma and Opa (his grandparents) feel differently, which leaves him conflicted. As time progresses, Helmuth starts to notice the subtle changes and it worries him. First of all, Mutti has started dating a man named Hugo, a Nazi. Secondly, Hugo replaces his mother's old radio with a government radio that is non-stop propaganda. Although these changes may seem minor, the economy is taking off and everyone has something to eat so things are getting better. Sadly, Helmuth witnesses the power and the horror of the Nazi party when the party started targeting Jewish businesses and the Jewish people. For Helmuth, he wants nothing to do with Nazis, but, when he is forced to join the Hitler Youth, he quickly learns that he has to keep his opinions to himself and tell his teacher, and leaders, what they want to hear. What was supposed to be an era of peace and prosperity, Hitler has declared war on Europe. For Helmuth, he has no idea what's going on other than what the government is telling him, which angers him. What makes him even angrier, is that Gerhard, his brother, has been drafted and he knows his brother can't stand the Nazis and is only doing it for his country. When Gerhard returns from boot camp with a short wave radio he bought of the Black Market, he asks Helmuth to not turn it on since there is a law banning citizens from listening to foreign program; it's against the law to listen to foreign news, but Helmuth is tired of the Nazis so he breaks his promise to Gerhard. Not only are the Nazis censoring news, and fabricating reports, the prosperity they once had is no longer where they are being forced to pay for war they didn't want. For Helmuth, the only way he is going to bring down the Nazis is to speak the truth, which is not only dangerous, but punishable by death.

Critical Evaluation:
Based on the true story of Helmuth Hubener, Susan Campbell Bartoletti crafts a beautiful tale about a life that was cut short for all of the wrong reasons. In this narrative, readers can already tell what kind of young man Helmuth was and that everything he did was for the greater good. Honestly, I have heard of the Hitler Youth, but I was totally unaware of this young man's courage and sacrifice. Adolph Hitler was a monster and the Nazi party carried out his atrocities without questioning him. Hitler managed to master the craft of indoctrination where he literally duped an entire nation with promises of peace and prosperity only to carry out his personal agenda and vendetta against the Jews. For Helmuth, his faith and his love for his brother is what gave him the courage to speak out against the Nazis because he and his fellow countrymen had a right to know what their government has been plotting and the ramifications of their decisions. I am humbled and amazed by the courage of Helmuth Hubener because he did the one thing that his elders could not do. What I appreciate the most about this story is that Bartoletti gave a voice to Helmuth's fear, hatred, and sadness before his execution. No on really knows what was going through his head before his death, but the author gave him the last word, which was awesome. Moreover, Bartoletti drives home the very notion that Helmuth's advantage is the fact that no one would suspect a minor to make all those pamphlets, but, in the end, his execution was a wake-up call for everyone: don't underestimate the will and the intelligence of a teenager who has something to say. Although Helmuth died so young, his sacrifice will outshine the darkness that plagues the German people (aka. Hitler). This is a very compelling tale that readers will have a difficult time putting down and inspire them to do further research. The author's note is amazing, which readers will want to read and there are pictures of Helmuth, his brothers, and best friends. 

Information about the Author:
 According to her website:

Although I have always loved to read, I had no idea I was going to be a writer when I grew up. In school, I liked art class best. In college, I filled my schedule with literature classes. I took a creative writing class where I wrote short stories and poetry for the first time. I interned as a journalist at a local newspaper. These experiences fueled a desire to write my own stories.

 But within days of graduation, I was offered a job teaching eighth-grade English, and I accepted. I never thought I’d stay, but I did. For the next eighteen years, I taught eighth grade.

When I left the classroom, I returned to school as a full-time doctoral student on a full fellowship. I earned a Ph.D. in English from Binghamton University (State University, New York), where I won the Excellence in Research award for my doctoral dissertation. I also hold an M.A. in English from the University of Scranton (Pennsylvania) and a B.A. in English/Secondary Education from Marywood University (Scranton, Pennsylvania). I live with my husband near Scranton, Pennsylvania. We have two grown children, three grandchildren, two dogs (Shih Tzus), and a seventeen-year-old cat.

I am often asked where I found the time to write, while teaching full-time and raising a family. My answer is this: We make the time to do the things we really want to do. Weekdays, I wrote in the early morning hours, from 4-7 am, while my children were sleeping, and longer on weekends.

Genre:
Tween War Stories, Tween Historical Fiction

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 7 & up

Books Similar to The Boy Who Dared:

• Daniel Half Human: and the Good Nazi by David Chotjewitz
• The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas: a Fable by John Boyne

Awards & Recognition:From Amazon.com:

• Starred Review from Booklist
• Positive Review from School Library Journal
• Positive Review from Publisher's Weekly
  

Plot Summary:
In this true tale, Lizzie revisits her past with an amazing tale of love and hope. On February 13, everything changed for her and her family. On February 13, four days after her sixteenth birthday, her hometown of Dresden, Germany, is leveled to the ground by Allie firepower. Not only is homeless, the life she knew was all over every since the war started. With her father gone, her mother had to take over his duties by getting a job at the local zoo. What Lizzie didn't anticipate is her mother's attachment to an orphaned elephant named Marlene. Although Lizzie sees this bond as silly, she is having a hard coping with the fact that her father is gone, her mother works too much, and an elephant has taken her place in her mother's eye. Thankfully, all of that changes when her mother brings Marlene home. Usually, one does not keep an elephant for a pet, but, in this case, extra exception have been made. With the impending invasion of Dresden, the zoo keeper was given a direct order to destroy most of the big of animals; if the zoo is bombed, all of the wild animals will escape and hurt others. Since Marlene has been raised by Lizzie's mother, with a lot of convincing, the director of the zoo gives her permission to care for Marlene. When Lizzie sees Marlene in her garden, she has no idea what's going on. Although Lizzie has been jealous of Marlene, all of that melts away the moment Lizzie looked in Marlene's big brown eye and it was love at first sight. In many ways, Marlene has the ability to see inside the hearts of those she meets, which is not only comforting, but allows the person to see inside hers. With the busyness of life, Lizzie admits she actually forgot about the war some days, but it wasn't for that horrible night when Dresden was finally bombed. With her family, and Marlene, in tow, they must find shelter or face an uncertain future in the German wilderness.

Critical Evaluation:
Michael Morpurgo is a master of storytelling. By incorporating three true stories, Morpurgo has created a story where one family and one elephant come together to survive the horror of war. Just like War Horse, the bonds between humans and animals takes center stage and its the relationships that inspire us to hop, to dream, and to love. I absolutely love elephants and I am so overjoyed to know that one little elephant was saved because her human companions loved her so much they did everything they could to keep her alive. Although we, humans, have this horrible ability to destroy everything we love based on ideology, it's the power of the human spirit that can make all the wrong right. For Marlene, she knew she was being protected from the forces that could destroy her. However, in efforts to show her gratitude, her affection for her family was more than the could ever expect. I think what makes elephants extraordinary is their empathy. Marlene could feel the hurt in Lizzie when it came to her father simply because she lost her own mother. The beauty of this magnificent creature is not just their way of expressing emotion but their temperament. Most elephants, unless provoked, are very social, calm, expressive, and collected; they tend to their young and they go about their days. In many ways, elephants are more trusting and caring than most humans so having Marlene beside their side gave Lizzie, and her family, the will to survive. An Elephant in the Garden is a wonderful story where friendship, love, forgiveness, sacrifice, and hope can make the darkest of days a little brighter.


Information about the Author:
According to his website:

Michael Morpurgo is, in his own words, "oldish, married with three children, and a grandfather six times over." Born in 1943, he attended schools in London, Sussex and Canterbury (one at least of which was horrible enough to inspire him to describe it obliquely in The Butterfly Lion). He went on to London University to study English and French, followed by a step into the teaching profession and a job in a primary school in Kent. It was there that he discovered what he wanted to do. "We had to read the children a story every day and my lot were bored by the book I was reading. I decided I had to do something and told them the kind of story I used to tell my kids - it was like a soap opera, and they focused on it. I could see there was magic in it for them, and realised there was magic in it for me.

In 1976 Michael and his wife, Clare, started the charity Farms For City Children (FFCC), which aims to relieve the poverty of experience of young children from inner city and urban areas by providing them with a week in which they work actively and purposefully on farms in the heart of the countryside. They now have three farms – Nethercott in Devon, Treginnis in Wales and Wick in Gloucestershire. "As a teacher I realised many children had little real contact with the world around them – to them the television was real. I wanted them to experience life at first hand." In the last 30 years over 50,000 children from cities and towns throughout the UK have spent a week of their lives living and working for a week on one of the three farms.

Living in Devon, listening to Mozart, and working with children have provided most of the stimulae Michael needs to discover and write his stories. He spends about half his life mucking out sheds with the children, feeding sheep or milking cows; the other half he spends dreaming up and writing stories. "For me, the greater part of writing is daydreaming, dreaming the dream of my story until it hatches out - the writing down of it I always find hard. But I love finishing it, then holding the book in my hand and sharing my dream with my readers."

Genre:
Tween Historical
 

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 6 & up

Books Similar to An Elephant in the Garden:

• The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
• War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
  

Awards & Recognition:

Review Quotes:

To learn more about Sheila's (aka. Marlene) story:

• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5038279/Baby-elephant-kept-as-pet-to-save-her-from-WW2-blitz.html
• http://www.belfastzoo.co.uk/ZooHome/NewsAndEvents/4594.aspx

Plot Summary:
When Joey came home to Albert Narracot, it was destiny that these two would be friends forever. Known for his spirit and his beauty, Joey, a Thoroughbred, was bought by Albert's father, when he should have bought a cow, Joey had to be broken and trained to be a work horse. When no one thought a horse like Joey could do it, Albert and his equine companion sent out to prove everyone wrong. Although Joey had proven his worth as a work horse, the family farm that was meant for Albert was failing. In order to save Albert's future, Mr. Narracot sold Joey to the military to become a war horse. World War I had found its way to England, and Joey found himself in a place that no horse would have ever thought. Luckily, the man who bought Joey was a kind man named Captain Nichols who was just as inexperienced as Joey when it came to war. Before boarding the ship to France, Joey met another horse name Topthorn who was not only as majestic as Joey, but became his brother and best friend as they fought their way through France. What both Joey and Topthorn did not anticipate is where their journey would take them and the many wonderful people they would meet. However, the most important lesson they would learn is how war is not only senseless, but that every one on this Earth is exactly alike not matter the language they speak or where they are from.
 

Critical Evaluation:
War Horse not only conveys to readers the power of friendship, but just how serious and, senseless, war is for every person and entity involved. What is more touching is that this story is told through the eyes of horse who not only sees these messages, but provides readers with another perspective that touches the heart and mind. Joey, albeit a horse, is just as vulnerable and scared as his human owner, which shows that animals really just as empathetic as any other human being. Moreover, the loyalty the Joey has for his owner, caretakers, and best friend is literally a feat that most humans could not attain. Given the setting of this story, World War I, readers will come across the incident in No Man's Land where a British and German soldier actually take the time to rescue Joey, but actually have a friendly conversation expressing their own frustration with this war, which leaves them in agreement that nothing will be solved in this battle. The anti-war message is subtle, but the main story of Joey finding Albert during this struggle is remains center stage and the love will conquer all.


Information about the Author:
According to his website, Michael Morpurgo was born in 1943 where he attended school in Sussex and Canterbury. He went to London University where he majored in English and French and, after graduation, he went on to become a primary school teacher in Kent, which showed him what he wanted to do with his life: 

We had to read the children a story every day and my lot were bored by the book I was reading. I decided I had to do something and told them the kind of story I used to tell my kids - it was like a soap opera, and they focused on it. I could see there was magic in it for them, and realised there was magic in it for me (para. 1).

In 1976, Morpurgo and his wife, Clare, founded a charity called "Farms for City Children" (FFCC), which provides impoverished children with the opportunity to escape the inner city by working a full week on an actual farm in the country side: "As a teacher I realised many children had little real contact with the world around them – to them the television was real. I wanted them to experience life at first hand" (para. 3). Morpurgo has written more than 100 books for children and spends most of his time cleaning out the stables with children, milking the cows, and feeding sheep. When he isn't busy having fun, he is usually found daydreaming about his next book. 

Genre:
Tween Historical Fiction


Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 4-7


Books Similar to War Horse:

• Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata
• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
  

Awards & Recognition:

• Positive review from Booklist (4/1/2007)
• Positive review from New York Times Book review (2007)
• Runner-up for the Whitbread Award (1983)